Youth-led organisations you should support this Anti-Racism Day

21 March marks the UN international Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. The day is observed each year to commemorate the day South African police shot and killed 69 people at a peaceful anti-apartheid protest.

Although the system of apartheid has since been dismantled in South Africa, people and communities across the globe continue to be impacted by racism in all its forms. The international rise in hate against East and Southeast Asian people over the course of the pandemic shows us that racism is far from being eliminated.

The theme of this year’s anti-racism day is “youth standing up against racism”. It’s in honour of the young people who rose up against systems of racist oppression following the killing of George Floyd in summer 2020.

Here are some of the most exciting organisations led by young People of Colour in the UK. They’re fighting against racist oppression in our education, justice, and immigration systems, working towards climate justice, and uplifting young Black LGBTQI+ people and girls of colour.

Education

No More Exclusions focuses on fighting racism, abolishing school exclusions, and creating a free and fair education system:

We're about to go live with @SistersUncut @SexWorkHive @ukblm + others for the #KillTheBill public meeting.

Solidarity with everyone fighting the #PoliceCrackdownBill

Here's our guide to how and why we can and will #AbolishExclusions https://t.co/tslqEjI4UX

— No More Exclusions #Free 🇵🇸 (@NExclusions) March 18, 2021

Similarly, No Lost Causes also works to bring about institutional change in education:

‼️BIG NEWS: If you haven’t already, Please check out the link below of us explaining the school-to-prison-pipeline and why our campaign is so important. https://t.co/J0lFLs5mpT

— NLC (@NLCauses) January 10, 2020

Meanwhile, the Black Curriculum works to challenge injustice in education. It does this by teaching young people about Black British history through the arts:

This is a different type of post from us, but a necessary one nonetheless.

Here are some of the *real* comments under our interviews about the importance of diverse & inclusive curriculums.

Comments that show more than ever why Black history is needed – everywhere.

👇🏾 #TBH365 pic.twitter.com/wlQ7QdfjZR

— The Black Curriculum (@CurriculumBlack) December 11, 2020

And Fill in the Blanks is “a campaign led by students from former British colonies seeking to mandate the teaching of colonial history”:

It would be amazing if this was real! We’re a group of black & brown teens from formerly colonised countries who wish Britain’s full history was taught to everyone! @EducationGovuk @NickGibbUK will you make this happen to create a more united Britain? https://t.co/4wqc3kHNf4 pic.twitter.com/qEret1EfKo

— FILL IN THE BLANKS (@fillinthblanks) January 9, 2020

Whereas A Tribe Named Athari is group of young people working towards ‘Black liberation and racial justice through healing, direct action and radical education’:

We aim to build a model where black life is valued not just within the UK but across borders and work towards transformative justice. (2/3)

— Tribe Named Athari (@TribeNAthari) June 29, 2020

Justice

Kids of Colour works to challenge institutional racism in young people’s lives by campaigning for anti-racist education and police abolition. Its latest campaign is in collaboration with the Northern Police Monitoring Project. The campaign challenges the harmful presence of police in Manchester’s schools:

LAUNCH: 'Decriminalise the Classroom: A Community Response to Police in Greater Manchester's Schools'.

With @npolicemonitor we collected the views of 554 young people and adults. Their contributions are invaluable, making the case for #NoPoliceInSchools.https://t.co/G0eVTFUJ3n pic.twitter.com/Ff3NsPKral

— Kids Of Colour (@KidsOfColourHQ) August 25, 2020

ICFree campaigns against the criminalisation of young Londoners of Colour in schools and the justice system:

We are ICFREE and we are aiming to end of criminalisation of Black & Brown Youth in the Criminal Justice System & the Education System! #ICFREE #ICFreeNotIC3
Share your stories with us! pic.twitter.com/H3XI4yzySG

— ICFree #ICFree (@ICFreeUK) December 21, 2019

And the 4Front Project works to empower marginalised young people ‘to fight for justice, peace, and freedom’ in their communities and beyond:

On this day last year, Jahiem Legister-Hall, a beloved 4FRONT member, lost his life. This 22/10/20, on his 19th birthday, we will build his legacy by launching Jahiem's Justice Centre – a powerful new youth space for creativity, empowerment & healing. #RestInPower #AtThe4Front pic.twitter.com/U6CDb5WHRL

— THE 4FRONT PROJECT (@4FrontProject) September 3, 2020

Remember & Resist seeks to “expand abolitonist practice and thinking” in the UK’s East and Southeast Asian communities:

Thank you to those who attended our 'Abolitionist approaches to hate crime' workshops!

We ran three rounds of this 2-part workshop series, with around 35 participants in total.

Grateful for these nourishing conversations—& excited to keep building ✨🌱 pic.twitter.com/gpUr8aTCJe

— Remember & Resist (@remember_resist) February 15, 2021

Climate justice

Wretched of the Earth is a grassroots collection of young People of Colour working towards climate justice in the UK and beyond:

Black Liberation & Black Joy, a statement of solidarity by Wretched of the Earth

It is a radical and necessary act to envision a world where all Black lives are liberated from the violence of white supremacy and capitalist exploitation. #BlackLivesMatter https://t.co/xrtSQPLgWr

— WretchedOfTheEarth (@wretchedotearth) June 23, 2020

Meanwhile, Choked Up is a group of young People of Colour living in areas affected by air pollution. They’re working to manifest their right to clean air:

We grew up along the polluted streets of London, breathing illegal air. Our stories have been forgotten and overlooked. But not anymore.

We believe our dream of #CleanAirNow is not unrealistic or too much but exactly what we deserve.

Here’s to restoration. pic.twitter.com/HwtjXdHRje

— Choked Up (@ChokedUp_UK) February 28, 2021

And People & Planet is a “student network fighting for climate, worker and migrant justice from UK universities”:

Sign the petition and call on @LancasterUni to remove its investments in climate-destroying fossil fuelshttps://t.co/E9tjmb6BdD

— People & Planet (@peopleandplanet) March 17, 2021

Migration

We Belong is a group of young migrants in the UK working towards “a shorter, more affordable route to settlement”:

https://twitter.com/WeBelong19/status/1372862672891486211

LGBTQI+ rights

BLAQUK is the first Black LGBTQI+ organisation led by young people:

Applications for our Black Queer Care Packages are now open! Dont be shy to sign up and receive a package if you need it. As we all know its such a difficult time at the moment but we at BLAQ UK are here to help❤️ https://t.co/C7yJffiTWV #blacklgbtuk pic.twitter.com/fL0yIYavw9

— BLAQUK (@blaquk) March 4, 2021

Exist Loudly works to support and uplift queer Black youth by “creating spaces of joy and community” in the UK:

We are so excited to officially announce we have gone into a long term research partnership with @WeAreNKG to continue building upon our research into the lives and experiences of queer and trans Black youth in the UK! pic.twitter.com/VydkuGgM4L

— ExistLoudly (@ExistLoudlyUK) January 27, 2021

Gender

Integrate UK is a Bristol-based based charity working towards racial and gender equality:

‘HIJABS & MINISKIRTS’ 👀 Look what we developed over zoom – Lockdown didn't stop our young activists! #GirlPower #Sisterhood #WeChoose https://t.co/lXA8JXx6XO

With huge thanks to @HarryDunkley1 @sunandmoon_anim @cmroliveira @LauraIzzSounds @Inaz_HN, Alba, Louie, Ned & Chris! pic.twitter.com/7dm3FnGPZy

— Integrate UK (@_IntegrateUK) February 23, 2021

Milk Honey Bees creates safe spaces for Black girls to heal and thrive:

We have so many exciting things coming up for Black and Mixed Black Girls and we don’t want to miss it… So follow us and encourage other Black/Mixed Black Girls to follow as we created this with and for H.E.R 🐝https://t.co/xwCIt3hMkx pic.twitter.com/FK1dXAUdqw

— Milk Honey Bees🐝 (@MilkHoneyBees) October 15, 2020

Hair discrimination

The Halo Code is a group of Black students that’s working to destigmatise afro hair in schools:

Happy Sunday everyone! We hope you’ve had a lovely start to the new year and term🤍 🤍
Even though sadly we aren’t physically in school right now you can still take steps to become a Halo School before in-person learning starts. #ADOPTTHECODE #HALOHAIR please retweet& share! pic.twitter.com/YTklIx94qM

— The Halo Code 👸🏾 (@TheHaloCode) January 10, 2021

And the Halo Collective works to end hair discrimination in UK schools and workplaces:

Welcome to the Halo Collective. Follow us, to get updates on our journey to ending hair discrimination, in workplaces and schools across the UK.#ADOPTTHECODE #HALOCODE #HAIRREVOLUTION #HALOHAIR pic.twitter.com/zUBYCMjy42

— The Halo Collective (@thehalocltv) December 8, 2020

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination presents the perfect opportunity. We can all start uplifting the next generation of change-makers in the UK who are working to eliminate racism.

Featured image via James Eades/Unsplash